A SLAVE IN THE MAKING ANTHONY'S STORY
by ravensgirl52
Summary: after the death of her son mel johnson only see's it as the right thing to do and takes her teammate's son as a slave. follow the story as his dad turns him over and he becomes a slave. the first one in over a hundred years. I AM NOT PREJUDICE I WAS JUST
1. Chapter 1

Anquan's point of view

It was another normal guys night out. Without our captain to ruin things and tell us what to do, we headed to the newest strip club in town. Apparently a dancer from out of town had come to visit and was there to entertain the new men that flocked the club. I had just parked the car containing Pierce, Ray, Flacco and I when there was a knock on my window. I rolled down my window and saw Randy Moss staring in at me.

"What Moss," I snapped as I noticed a brown haired girl get out of his car. Her hair was in a French braid and my immediate thought was to drive off, but when she turned around I saw a younger version of my team captain.

"Mel has a daughter and she's supposed to meet you here," I guessed and he nodded.

"She's my pride and joy and here comes Mel," he said straightening up and causing all of us to groan in disappointment.

"Melinda," Mel called and the girl ran over to her tears in her eyes.

"Roll up the window," Ray hissed as Melinda started giving us away.

"Momma four of your teammates are in that car daddy's standing next to," she said in a singsong voice.

"Oh really; I remember very clearly telling my team that they could not come to the strip club and anyone of my team that disobeyed me would not like the consequences," she said and I looked back at Flacco.

"What I didn't think she was serious," he said and I let out a sigh.

"Yeah well we're busted now," Ray said and Pierce shook his head.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Three of my wide receivers and one of my linebackers disobeying me. Let's see what I can come up with for punishments," Mel said and my head snapped up.

I flashed my eyes up to the rearview mirror to look at Ray and I knew I had to protect him.

"Captain please," I whispered and she turned her attention to me.

"Please what," she snapped and the guys shrunk back in their seats.

"It wasn't their idea to come to the strip club and disobey you. We were sitting in my car when I decided to suddenly pull out of my driveway. It was a stupid move and I take full responsibility for disobeying you," I said and she wrenched open my car door, forcefully yanking me out as she did so.

I knew it was never going to stop until she got my son as retribution for the death of her son, which happened while he was in my care, but still I never give in that easily and I'll be damned before I turn my son over to a monster like her.

Captain pushed me up against the car and breathed, "Why do I suddenly regret letting you off the hook when you disobeyed me last week." Out loud she said, "Randy let's meet again tomorrow night because I have something I need to take care of right now."

Randy nodded and left with Melinda in tow and Mel waited until they were out of sight before she knocked me to the ground with her fist. I heard a car door slam shut and suddenly Mel was being lured away from me by someone I couldn't see but I knew it had to be Joe Flacco. I was yanked up by my other two teammates who had come to my rescue as well.

"You guys didn't need to yank me up that roughly," I said and they immediately apologized.

"Get Flacco and let's go," I said and got in the car.

"Flacco let's go," Ray called and I looked back to see Flacco get knocked to the ground as he turned towards the car to get in.

"Ray let's go! We got to go. We can't help him now let's go," I shouted and Ray jumped in the car.

We pulled out of the parking lot leaving Flacco at the mercy of our team captain.


	2. Chapter 2

Flacco's point of view

I turned at the sound of Ray's voice only to get knocked to the ground by my team captain. I heard voices shouting, the sound of a car door slamming shut, and a car pulling out of the parking lot. I scrambled backwards as my team captain came over to me with an angry look in her eyes.

"Get up, right now," she snapped and I immediately scrambled to get to my feet.

I stood there in front of her with my head down and realized I was about to find out what happened to Anquan every time he was called in to her office even when he hadn't had the chance to piss her off.

"Come on let's get you home Joe," Mel whispered and walked away towards her car.

"Wait I'm not in trouble with you for coming to the strip club with the guys," I asked and she shook her head.

"No but the guys are in trouble with me for leaving you behind. What's my number one rule when on the field," she asked looking over at me.

"Stick together and leave no man or in your case woman behind," I replied and she nodded.

"Get in the car and let's get you home," she said and I went home immediately throwing myself into my bed headfirst.

"Joe tell me who Anquan was protecting. When he looked up at the rearview mirror it looked like he was looking at you. But if he had been protecting you I don't think you would have come so close to me tonight. I want you to tell me who he was protecting," Mel whispered in my ear while running her hands down my back.

"If I do then what: Anquan gets hurt for protecting one of the team," I whispered tears running down my face.

"All I want to know is who Anquan was protecting so badly. Trust me you would not like the kind of punishment Anquan receives if it was coming to you Joe. So make it easier on yourself and tell me who he was protecting," she whispered, dragging her fingers through my over grown hair.

'Damn, I need a haircut again,' I thought as I panicked about what to do in this situation I was now in.

She got to the base of my skull and gently tugged on my hair but from what Anquan had told me it wouldn't be gentle for long.

"He was protecting Ray. It was all Ray's idea to disobey you and Captain, I am personally sorry for going along with the deception and not notifying you about his plan to disobey you. I will take whatever punishment you have to give me for disobeying you," I whispered and buried my face in my pillow so she couldn't see the tears streaming down my face.

"I'll decide your punishment later because right now I have to deal with Anquan," Mel said and left.

The front door slammed shut and with that I fell into a fitful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Anquan's point of view

I was back at home but I knew it wasn't safe as my team captain had a key to my house.

"Thank God Anthony isn't home and that he had enough sense to go to Jamie's house for the night," I thought as the front door suddenly slammed open.

I ran for my room in a panic but just as I reached the threshold my captain slammed into me sending me to the floor of my hallway with her fist. I curled into a ball on my side carefully and discreetly putting my back against the wall of the hallway. But luck was not on my side today as she yanked me into a standing position and threw me head first into my bedroom where I crumpled to the floor in a sobbing heap of skin and clothes. I looked up at her fear the present emotion on my face and tried to scramble away from her as she walked over to me. Still, I had no luck as she knelt down and started to run her fingers through my braids. When she got to the end of my braids she gently tugged on one of the braids and I maneuvered myself into a kneeling position so she could do what she came to do. But what happened next was a complete surprise for me.

"Why did you lie to me Anquan? What did I ever do to deserve the disrespect I got from you boys tonight," she asked and I carefully turned my head to look at her face.

She was upset, that much was clear but I had a feeling I wasn't going to be punished tonight. Then suddenly it dawned on me: she was here to get my son and he wasn't here. Once again I thanked God for giving me a son that had a brain under all that pretty hair on his head.

"Anthony's not here Mel. He's at Jamie's house for the night with the rest of the team. I'll bring him to you tomorrow so you can stop trying to force me to give him to you. Okay," I said and hung my head ashamed that I had just showed that kind of weakness in my resolve.

"Don't bother to bring him to me. Pack his things and I'll go pick him up now," Mel said and got up.

She waited for me to stand and then walked towards the only other occupied room in the house. I slowly grabbed the duffel bags that Anthony kept under his bed and packed his clothes in one; his shoes in another; and all his posters in another. I waited to see what she was going to say about his electronics and she answered my unspoken question.

"He can bring his laptop, his IPod, and his cellphone. Nothing else do you hear me," she said and I nodded.

I took the bags out to her car and went back inside to pack his laptop in its case; put the iPod in the case along with his cellphone and finally I put in the chargers. I took the bag out to her and she put it on the passenger side seat next to her.

"Tell him I said goodbye and that I love him," I begged and she nodded.

"I will," she promised and left without a backwards glance at me.


	4. Chapter 4

Anthony's point of view

It was late but we were enjoying ourselves. With no adult to tell us we had to go to bed at ten at night, we were grouped in a circle with an empty beer bottle, that Junior had drank out of, in the middle of the circle with all of us taking turns to spin the bottle. With no girls around for us to kiss we resorted to acting gay for a minute or two so we could play the game properly. I was sitting between Jamie Pierce and Joseph Jones when suddenly the bottle landed on Jamie. I suppressed a groan and dropped my head into my hands causing the guys to laugh and making Jamie pout. I knew I had no other choice and couldn't force him to choose someone else so I turned towards him, quietly conveying that he had to do all of the work in this. He nodded and leaned towards me meeting me halfway and made the kiss quick and short knowing I didn't want to do it. After I got that out of the way it was my turn to spin the bottle and it immediately landed on me. I smiled and turned to my other side away from Jamie and lunged at Joseph almost immediately. I planted a big kiss on his lips and smirked when he started to complain after I pulled back.

"Man why couldn't you have kissed Junior? He's drunk enough that he wouldn't remember that unless someone here took a picture of it," he said causing all of the guys to laugh.

"Just take your damn turn and shut up," I said and he spun the bottle which immediately made it my turn again.

I lunged across the circle towards Junior who met me halfway and made it the longest kiss any of us ever had while playing this game. Junior pulled back after about five minutes and spun the bottle which landed on Jason the youngest player on the team. Jason looked towards me and then at Michael before looking back at me. I nodded and we met halfway across the circle before our lips touched completely. Just then the lights went out and I heard a swishing sound coming down towards Jamie who let out a scream and I turned to see the mother of most of the team glaring down at me and Jason, looking completely out of her mind. I looked at Jamie who was a sobbing mess and noticed his back was bleeding through the white T-shirt he was wearing.

"Jamie," I cried as his whimpers grew louder.

His blood was pooling on the floor and there was no way we could explain this one to his dad. Except by my disappearance and that was if I could get her to take me without hurting the guys which was a very slim chance. I crawled towards Jamie and noticed a tear in his shirt and quickly looked at his mother's hand to see a horsewhip wrapped around her hand with just the tip hanging loose. I cringed away and gently pulled Jamie into a sitting position and ripped the shirt off of him and pressed the soft cotton against the open wound. By the time his mother realized what I was doing I had wrapped an ace bandage around the shirt and secured it just as his dad came in to check on us. When Jamie's dad saw Jamie's mother standing over us he immediately thought we had done something wrong. I explained that we had just finished playing spin the bottle with Jason being the last one to have the bottle land on him and that Jamie's mother had probably walked in on something that she didn't think her children were capable of and that was us kissing each other. He nodded and walked away taking Jamie's mother with him. I sighed in relief and started to get to my feet to go to the bathroom when Jamie's dad came back in with a scowl on his face and it was directed at Jamie.

"Jamie were you boys playing spin the bottle without girls being here at all during all these parties you boys always throw," his dad asked.

"Yes we do, dad," Jamie whispered, and leaned against me as he started to cry harder.

"I got to go okay guys? See you on Monday at school," I said and got up.

I walked out of the room and straight into my new master who grabbed my upper arm and dragged me out of the house and threw me into her car before I could even speak.

"Um, you do know I have a car and I can follow you to your house from here," I stammered and she looked back at me and laughed.

"You are coming with me. There's no way I am letting you take your car and then you head to your father's house. You are now my slave and your father' requested that I tell you that he loves you," she said and I threw myself from the car just as she pulled out of the driveway.

I ran for my car and jumped in quickly starting the engine and pulling out of Jamie's driveway and heading for the plantation on the outskirts of town. The one place I had always dreaded going to was the Johnson Plantation and now I had no choice but to go. The one thing I knew for sure was that I had just earned myself a beating when I get there.

"I will just do it and take my punishment," I said looking in the rearview mirror.

She was hot on my tail and I made the final turn and drove up the long winding path all the way to the front door. This would possibly be the last time I used my car so I took a few minutes to let her park and get out of her car before I opened my car door and got out of mine. Once out of my car I breathed in the smell of pine and walnut and slowly I walked over to her quietly kneeling down in front of her; my new master.


	5. Chapter 5

Mel's point of view

I stared at the boy kneeling in front of me with nothing short of anger on my face. He kept his head bowed and stared at my feet not saying a word. Then I noticed he was shaking and that all he had on was a wife beater tank top and his blue jeans with ratty sneakers. I made a mental note to check his clothes and see what was too old for him to wear before I made any judgments. I took a deep breath in and smelled the scent of ripe and ready to be picked walnuts before I looked back at the boy.

"You may stand," I said and he slowly stood up his eyes never leaving the ground.

"Where is your shirt," I asked gently lifting his chin so I could have eye contact.

"It's in my book bag because it ripped so I took it off and put it in there instead of throwing it away," he whispered and I took off my jacket quietly wrapping it around his shoulders.

"Let's get your bags out of the trunk of my car and up to your new room so you can unpack okay," I said and he nodded quietly looking back at the ground hoping and praying that I had not seen his tears.

Suddenly I realized why Anquan had always been so adamant about refusing to let him go: Anthony was emotionally attached to his dad since he grew up without a mom all of his life. Right there I decided that I would be that mother figure that he needed and probably wanted. I pulled the shivering boy into my arms and let him break down as I pulled him down to the ground so we could be comfortable and not have aching feet when he calmed down enough to get his things out of the trunk of my car.

"There, there everything's going to be okay. Nothing bad is going to happen to you here. I promise you that. Do you hear me Anthony," I said and he nodded quietly wiping his face dry with the back of his hand.

"I want to go back home to my dad, please. I can come and check in every morning before I go to school and every afternoon before I go home," he whispered hopefully.

I shook my head and said, "That is not possible but I can allow you to call him just so you know that he's okay. And I will also let you visit him over the weekend every weekend: from Friday night to Sunday evening. But here is the condition in that: you cannot go to anyone else's house unless you have my permission and you have to tell me how long you are going to be there and if I have to pick you up from that person's house. Is that okay with you Anthony?"

"Okay I guess that can work since it's probably the only offer I'm going to get like that," he whispered and I let out a laugh.

"You can call him after we unpack your things in your new room okay," I said and he nodded.

He stood up and offered me his hand which I took gratefully and he helped me up. If there was one thing I had been doubtful about before every doubt I had was erased. He was probably the best trained kid that was probably more obedient than my own children and that was from what I had walked in on. Reflecting now I realize that I probably got Jason into a lot of trouble when I called his dad and told him what had happened and what I had walked in on.

"Well it's too late to go back now," I thought and clicked open the trunk of my car.

I went around the front of my car and grabbed the laptop case and handed it to Anthony and gestured towards the trunk of my car. We walked around my car and I helped him with his bags taking the two that were the heaviest.

"Anthony do you want me to show you to a room or do you want to choose from the rooms which one you want," I asked and he shook his head.

"You decide because it's your house," he whispered and walked towards his car.

I followed after him and showed him to the master bedroom and said, "It's all yours Anthony. I hope you enjoy it." After that I went to my room and changed into my nightclothes. After about twenty minutes I went and checked on Anthony to find all of his things put away and him fast asleep curled up on the floor, so I picked him up and pulled back the covers before I laid him down and covered him with the many quilts I had placed on the bed to keep him warm. That night was the most peaceful night's sleep I had ever had in that house.


	6. Chapter 6

Jason's point of view

I was panicking. I had not wanted to go home and face my dad because I knew he would ask why I was kissing one of the guys. Shit if he has a problem with it he can talk to Junior who happens to be my boyfriend. I'm gay and proud of it. Just then I heard the front door open and two men came into the house laughing their butts off. I hid behind the couch even though I knew one of the men was my dad but I did not recognize the other man. Hell I knew my dad was gay but I had never seen him with another man.

"Damn Michael that was freaking funny but are you sure you need to stay the night to make sure nothing happens to me or is it because you want to be in charge of this relationship," my dad asked and I sucked in a breath.

"What was that sound," I heard the other guy ask as they stepped into the living room.

"Probably just my butler trying not to be noticed even though I know he's behind the couch hiding from me. Now my room is right down the hall the first doorway on the left," my dad said and the other guy left the room.

I heard a door close and suddenly my dad was yanking me up onto my feet from behind the couch.

"What are you doing here, Junior" my dad hissed looking behind him with a worried expression on his face.

"Jamie sent us all home because mom showed up and she now knows I'm gay. Now on to other subjects he doesn't know about me does he," I whispered and my dad shook his head.

"No he doesn't and I don't want to tell him," my dad whispered back and I nodded.

"Well I will be in my room if you need me. Have a nice night okay," I whispered and he nodded.

Slowly I walked down the hallway and opened my bedroom door to go in my room when suddenly my dad was behind me. He grabbed my upper arm and pulled me into my room, quickly closing and locking the door behind him. He gave me a set of instructions to which I nodded and he left the room. I changed into my nightclothes and went to bed for a peaceful night's sleep. The next morning I got up and headed to breakfast only to walk right back to my room, grab my wallet and place it in my book bag. I got dressed and grabbed my bag, quietly grabbing a couple fifty dollar bills from out of the jar in my closet and my car keys before going out of my bedroom window. I got in my car and quietly started the engine before realizing that the fool had parked behind me and I had no way to get out of the driveway. I turned off the car, went back inside and told my "uncle" about the problem of his friend parking behind me and he quickly got the keys and moved the car.

"Thanks a lot dad," I whispered and left as he waved goodbye to me.

The next stop on my list was Junior's house and one way or another he was getting in my goddamn car. I pulled up to Junior's house and honked the horn to see him peek out of the window to his bedroom and immediately drop the blinds. I parked the car and got out quietly walking up to his bedroom window. I pushed it open and climbed in scaring the crap out of him when he turned around. I gave him a good once over and noticed he was still in his night clothes before I spoke.

"Are you coming to school today Junior," I asked looking over his shoulder at the door and over my shoulder at the window.

"I can't go. I caught the flu," he whispered but even at that voice tone I could tell his nose was stuffed up and he had a sore throat.

"So do you want me to bring your school work over or is your dad going to pick it up for you," I asked and he shook his head.

"My dad said he was going to pick it up and also see if his captain could give him a day off from work to take care of me," Junior said and immediately started coughing.

"You know what you probably caught that damn virus from kissing Anthony last night. He had been going on about being sent to school by his dad even though he was sick and Jamie still invited him. The way I see it if I get sick behind him he's going to get hurt. And Joseph wasn't even supposed to be there so you know he isn't going to show at school today. Well besides all of that have a nice day off and I hope you feel better," I said giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.

I went back out through the window and drove off just as his dad pulled into the driveway. I knew just by Junior not going that I was going to have a crappy day.


	7. Chapter 7

Junior's point of view

As I heard my dad's car pull back into the driveway I scrambled to get into my bed and make it seem like I had been there the whole time. Just then there was a knock on my bedroom door and my dad came in with my schoolbooks, homework and my classwork which he placed on the desk that was by the window. He looked at the window and then at me before he closed the window with a bang and locked it.

"Junior was Jason here before I got back because I could have sworn he was pulling off just as I was arriving," my dad said sitting down on the side of my bed.

"He just stopped by to pick me up for school and left after telling me to feel better once I told him I had caught the flu," I whispered and started to cough again.

My dad let out a sigh and asked, "What else did he say because I don't think you are telling me everything?"

I too let out a sigh and said, "When we have those parties you do know there are no girls present, right? So last night we were playing spin the bottle and it landed on Anthony twice but he is already sick with the virus but we didn't know so the first time it landed on Anthony he kissed Joseph. The second time it landed on him Anthony and I kissed for a good five minutes, so Jason thinks I got the flu from Anthony."

My dad stared at me like I had grown a second head and I knew it was time I confessed to my dad the truth about me being gay.

"Dad I have a confession to make and I'm almost positive you're not going to like it. So here it goes: I'm gay and Jason is my boyfriend," I said and my dad hit the floor unconscious.

I let out a sigh and knelt down beside him as I always did when he would pass out when I was little. I pulled his head onto my lap and checked his eyes to see if there was recognition ability in the dark brown irises. I let his eyelid drop once I was satisfied and I grabbed my pillow, gently placing his head on it once the pillow was on the floor. I got up and sat down on my bed to await the storm and inevitable fury of my dad when he awoke. I knew he wasn't happy about my choice but I knew that my confession could probably just have gotten me kicked out of the house. But I sat and waited for him to regain consciousness so I could escape to my dream world where Jason was no doubtedly waiting for me to arrive and tend to his every need.

"Junior, please tell me you were joking about being gay and dating Jason," my dad asked the moment he regained consciousness.

He looked up at me with those dark brown eyes full of sadness and despair and all I could do to answer him was shake my head no. I couldn't bear the emotion that entered his eyes next. It was one of such loathing and dislike that I cringed away as tears started to stream down my face. I threw myself face down on my bed and cried as I heard my bedroom door slam shut as he stormed out of the room. Over the sound of my cries I heard something shatter in the living room and knew he had probably just smashed the brand new family photo that we had done just last Saturday with me in my football uniform and him in his. The next action would be him tearing it into pieces and destroying all evidence that we had ever been a happy family. I began to sob harder as I realized I had just lost all the love my dad had for me and I would never get that back. Just then the front door slammed shut and the glass on the door shattered causing my dad to curse at the top of his lungs as he now had to spend money on a brand new door for the front entrance. At that moment I made the decision to leave this home and never look back, so I started to pack all my clothes, shoes, and books in my suitcases. I quietly zipped up the suitcases and looked at the posters on the walls of my room sadly and took the suitcases out to my car. I sat the cases on the backseat of my car and went back inside the house to see what my dad had broken. As I had thought the family photo was smashed and torn in two pieces, so I picked up the two pieces and repaired the damage, before walking out of the house with the newly repaired picture in my hands. Without sparing the house another glance I headed towards the airport. By the end of the week I would be in London in the house my mother had left me in her will. And without a second thought about Jason or the rest of my teammates I boarded the plane to London and comfortably sat back in my first class seat as I waited for the flight to take off. This was the start of my new life and I was finally breaking free from my dad and my now exboyfriend. I was finally free and it felt good.


	8. Chapter 8

Ray's point of view

After I calmed down I went home to find Junior's room empty except for the posters I had bought him when he was little. No clothes, shoes or books could be found in that room and all I could do when I found his cell phone was break down in tears like he had and cry. I went into the living room and noticed the two halves of the family photo we had done were gone and that there was the scotch tape in its place on the table.

"What did I do to him that could possibly make him runaway like this," I asked myself and I came up empty as always.

So I decided I would go to Anquan's house to see what I could have done to make my son run off like that. When I got there I knew something was wrong because Anthony's car was not in the driveway where he normally parked it and I knew for a fact his dad would take him to school instead of him driving the expensive car to school. I knocked on the front door and then waited as Anquan shouted that he was coming from behind the door. When he opened it a look of surprise crossed his features and he stepped back to let me in without a word. So I started the conversation for the first time in years; actually since we were kids.

"Did you let Anthony drive to school today, Anquan," I asked and he shook his head.

"Naw, Mel went over to Jamie's and took him from me last night. I don't even think she knows that he called me last night before he went to bed. All I know is I'm never going to see him again, just like my dad never saw me again. So enough about me and my life what brings you here Ray because we haven't talked since I was in Anthony's position with being Melissa's slave," he whispered and I knew it would be hard to hear that his fun loving nephew had up and done a runner to somewhere new.

"Junior ran away today and left behind all of his posters and even his cell phone behind; nothing else was left," I said and Anquan's head shot up his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"He could be heading to London because Mel left him a house out there. She gave him the keys to it on his sixteenth birthday and told him what they were for. It's a really nice house with antique furnishings and purple painted and black trimmed walls in every room. The way her father decorated it for her with me, the one time he took all of us me included on a family vacation, was to die for and she showed it to Junior. He loved it. Try heading him off and take a much needed vacation while you're at it, okay Ray," he said and I nodded.

"Thanks a lot Anquan that's all I needed to hear," I said and he nodded quietly showing me to the door.

"Have a nice vacation Ray. You deserve it," Anquan shouted as I made my way to my car on the side of the street where I always parked.

"I will," I shouted and drove towards the airport.

My luck was with me; I made it to the airport with enough time to catch the second flight to London and get to him just before he could leave Heathrow Airport in London. When the flight landed three days later I had security radio Junior over the intercom and when no one came to where I was standing that looked like my son I hopped into a cab and told them the location of the house and tossed some of my converted money over the seat and the cab driver took off. Once there I got out of the car and went inside the house to see Junior lying on the couch asleep and his ravens blanket covering him. There was no pillow under his head but I knew he was asleep because of the time difference and jetlag.

"Junior it's time for you to wake up," I said roughly shaking his shoulder.

He groaned and rolled over on the wide sofa and looked at me through sleep filled eyes.

"Dad what are you doing here," he groaned too afraid to go back to sleep now that I was here.

"We need to talk because I don't take kindly to my _only_ son running away from home like you did three days ago," I whispered kneeling down beside him and running one of my hands through his hair.

He looked down tears in his eyes and started to cry in shame as I noticed the picture I had torn in two above the mantlepiece in a new frame and taped back together into one piece. Junior looked up as I rose to my full height to look at the picture to see that it wasn't taped but that it was the one that he had kept in his room with him. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me down onto the couch as he wrapped his arms around my waist in a hug that we both very much needed. I pulled him up into a sitting position and hugged him tightly as he cried into my shirt.

"Junior you're not in any trouble with me. I just need to know what I did to you that would make you do something like this," I whispered into his hair.

"When you asked if I was joking about being gay and dating Jason and I told you no you looked at me with so much hate in your expression that it made me feel like you didn't want me anymore. So I decided to just leave it all behind and never look back. But I would still have the pictures so I could always have the memories. Those would never fade away," he sobbed into my shirt and I just rubbed his back hoping he would calm down.

We stayed that way until he fell back to sleep against me and I stretched out on the sofa quietly going to sleep with my arms wrapped protectively around my son. I slept for about three hours and then I got up to make dinner for my son and I when a hand shot out and pulled me back down onto the couch and then my son was breathing in the scent of my cologne that was on my shirt. A knock on the door alerted me to the fact that we had a visitor so I got up and went to answer the door with Junior trailing along behind me. The last person I expected to see there on the front steps was my team captain looking extremely pissed at something and I knew it wasn't the boy standing behind her. I stepped to the side and Mel came into the house with Anthony right behind her. I looked at Junior with the question 'did you tell her where we were at any point' in my eyes and he shook his head in response. Now I knew I was in deep shit because the only person that knew I was here was Anquan and it wasn't every day your team captain showed up where you were at taking a much needed vacation. I closed the door and walked after my team captain who was looking around the living room at the changes in décor when Junior and Anthony made eye contact which was the one thing that didn't go unnoticed by Mel. She smacked Anthony on the back of his head and he ducked his eyes quickly tearing his gaze away from Junior's gaze. Junior turned around and walked up the stairs to the second floor and entered the room that had the door open. I heard the springs creak on the bed and knew he had lain back down to go to sleep. I sighed in exasperation and walked over to the couch and sat down gesturing for the other two to also take a seat. Mel took a seat and Anthony looked at me and the chair fear in his eyes before he decided to lean against the wall instead of taking a seat. I shrugged and turned towards Mel before Anthony noticed the glare she was sending him. Anthony got off of the wall and took the seat she pointed at all the while never saying a single word. I looked at my team captain's hands and noticed that she had a cut on the back of her wrist going down to the inside of her elbow that made me think the reason Anthony was keeping his mouth shut was because of that mark on her arm. I took her injured arm in my hand and called Junior down with the first aid kit. I wiped down the cut with an alcohol wipe and then wrapped an ace bandage around her arm, quietly pulling her into my arms when I noticed she was crying.

"Mel baby girl it is okay. I'm right here just let me know what happened," I whispered over and over until finally she nodded.

"I went over to your house to talk to Junior but his room was empty of everything except for his posters. So I called your phone to let you know and I got a notice saying that you were on your way to London and that you would call me back when you returned to the states so I went over to Anquan's house to drop Anthony off with him for the weekend. We got into a fight and he cut my hand all the way to the inside of my elbow by pushing me through a glass door. So I left and took Anthony with me. Anthony was trying to put up a fight as well when he saw his dad so he knows he's in trouble with me which is why he hasn't said a single word since we got here which is also the reason I looked pissed off when you opened the front door. So how are you enjoying London so far, Ray," she asked and I shook my head.

"I really only came to get Junior because he ran away and Anquan was the one who told me about this house and that Junior was probably on his way here. When I left his house he told me to take a vacation but I have no clothes over here so I can't really stay, now can I," I asked with a faint smile and she shook her head in agreement.

"My dad's old room has plenty of clothes in the closet that might fit you if you want me to show you which room was his," she whispered and I silently nodded 'yes'.

I took her hand and pulled her to her feet and spun her around in a slow circle as she let loose a stream of giggles. I pulled her in close and our lips touched but I noticed that her eyes never left Anthony who was heading up the stairs because Junior was calling him. I heard the bedroom door click shut and then Anthony let loose a scream of pain that had me and Mel running up the stairs in a rush. Mel grabbed the key that was above the door jamb and unlocked the door with me pushing on it with enough force to get it open even though Junior was leaning against it trying to keep it shut. Junior got it closed again and this time there was the sound of a dead bolt sliding into the locked position and then the unmistakable sounds of Anthony's whimpers and Junior's footsteps which clearly told me he was walking away from the door. I looked at Mel and she looked at me before I got what she was trying to tell me with her eyes. We took the necessary steps and together we crashed into the door taking it off of its hinges just as Anthony let out another scream of pain. I lunged towards Junior and grabbed him around his waist and taking him to the floor at the same time. The only problem was we landed right on top of Anthony who tried to scramble away even as I noticed that there was a sickening cut on the side of his face.

"Damn Anquan's not going to like it when I tell him how his son got that cut," I thought and rolled onto my back taking Junior with me so Anthony could get away from Junior.

Mel pulled Anthony into a standing position and he immediately started to cry just like Junior was because one: Junior knew he was in trouble and two: Anthony believed that he was in trouble with Mel and then again I wouldn't know. I looked at Mel to see her drag Anthony out of the room and I distinctly heard another door slam shut down the hallway before I let go of Junior. He curled into a ball on his side and let the tears just fall as I got to my feet. I examined the damage done to the door and noticed that the screws had been loosened enough for us to easily take the door off of its hinges the way we did when we crashed into the door. I walked back over to Junior and bent down wrapping my hand around his upper arm and yanked him up into a standing position. My only surprise was that he didn't fight back not even when I slammed him into the bed and took off my belt and whipped his behind.

"You never attack anyone. I taught you better than that," I roared as I hit him across his face with the belt to prove my point as it cut the side of his face from his temple to the edge of his jaw.

He slid to the ground at my feet and wrapped his arms around his chest completely ignoring the new bleeding cut. He looked straight ahead not even blinking and I bent down so I was eye level with him. When I made eye contact with him he stared past me like I wasn't in his face. That had the most terrifying effect on me that I couldn't help but call for his mother. She was the one to tell me his mind had shut down and to just leave him be for the meantime. I checked him for cuts (besides the one he had gotten from the belt) and bruises and then checked the room for any weapons that could hurt him and finding none I picked him up and gently placed him on the bed and then cleaned the cut to which I received several faint whimpers before I stopped cleaning the wound. After that I left and went to have a nice talk with Mel while she supervised Anthony in the living room.


End file.
